The selection of species has been made, that are present in the winter months and that best reflect the image of Christmas: for their flowering period, for the fruits that ripen at this time, or because they reach their vivid colors and adorn our homes on these dates.
Winter Garden Gran Vía Madrid by Sebastián Arquitectos. Photograph by Iñaki Bergera.
Project description by Sebastián Arquitectos
Idea: Easter Flowers
The magic of Christmas will turn Madrid's Gran Vía into a beautiful winter garden. Easter flowers, Algiers lilies, winter cacti, nightshades, rusco, holly, mistletoe, or princettias will fill this unique urban corridor that takes us from the Plaza de España to the Retiro with life and color. All these plant species flower and bear fruit in the winter season, defying the weather and demonstrating the idea that life springs forth at Christmas. In a year in which we have realized that the rigor of the climate can lead to the transformation of our habitat, we must become aware of the beauty of nature, the care it deserves, and the respect that we must show towards it for the incalculable value of the plant world, of the explosive richness in all its organic forms, the beauty of its colors and, ultimately, of life.
Winter Garden Gran Vía Madrid by Sebastián Arquitectos. Photograph by Iñaki Bergera.
Selected species
The species chosen for Christmas lighting are more or less directly related to Christmas. All the flowers collected here are present during the winter months. In some cases, this has to do with the daily hours of light they require and in others, with humidity or temperature conditions. In other cases, such as holly or mistletoe, it is the fruits that ripen in the winter and reach those bright, recognizable colors. Finally, in addition to everything mentioned above, some of these species, such as the poinsettia or the princettia, are closely related to this festive season and adorn our homes with the cheerful tones of their flowers. Below are some of the main characteristics of each of them. (On images, below).
